What happened
During a flight intended to practice aerial application maneuvers, an agricultural aircraft took off from a dirt runway while carrying a load of water. The aircraft became airborne approximately two-thirds of the way down the runway. Once airborne, the aircraft began to settle toward the ground.
The pilot attempted to dump the water load to assist with the climb; however, the aircraft failed to clear the perimeter trees. The aircraft struck the trees, crashed into an open field, and subsequently burned. The pilot was the sole occupant of the aircraft.
The investigation
Investigators found that there was no reported loss of engine power during the accident sequence. An examination of the flight controls revealed that the elevator trim was set in the full nose down position. This trim setting is equivalent to approximately 12 degrees above neutral. The aircraft's pre-takeoff checklist specifically requires that the elevator trim be set to a neutral position for takeoff.